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Dionysus - any info on him - can he be a Wiccan or Druid God?
I think it depends very much on the Druids or Wiccans in question. Are you thinking of becoming a Druid or a Wiccan? You could just be eclectic and worship what you like.
Re: Dionysus - any info on him - can he be a Wiccan or Druid God?
Written in Wine is a good book if you can get it - it's a collection of essays, prayers, stories, etc. all focused on Dionysos.
Theoi.com is a fantastic resource, as well.
Dionysos can be worshiped by Wiccans. Some druids might do so as well, more depending on the particular tradition of druidry...
So what do you reckon - is Dionysus a good or a bad figure?
sounds a little hedonistic, and that's not really ideal, not sure.
The Greek gods (and in truth, quite a few other pagan gods) don't really fit neatly into groups of good or bad, they tend to be a little more complex than a simple good or bad, you know? Most have aspects that could be put into either category.
Personally, I don't think there's anything wrong with a little hedonism... but there's a lot more to Dionysos than hedonism or simple pleasures, anyway.
Re: Dionysus - any info on him - can he be a Wiccan or Druid God?
One of my pagan friends from school is a dedicant of Dionysus. And yeah, he's much more than just a god of sex and wine. He's a liberator, a symbol and patron of freedom, removal of boundaries, and enjoyment. And, in some sense, a saviour figure; though not deliverance from evil so much as a bringer of enlightenment or fulfilment. She's also been looking into how Dionysus and Ariadne were connected in ancient myth, especially into how Ariadne may have originally been a goddess but was downgraded by the Athenians in their written myths to a human lover of Dionysus.
When the Romans copied Dionysian mythology, they split Dionysus' aspects among Bacchus (wine, pleasure, et al. which became the more culturally dominant and well-known perception of him) and Liber (which took all of the liberation stuff).
Regarding Wiccan and druid approaches to Dionysus: Wiccans could, since the system is "modular" in a certain way, allowing it to be used with non-standard patron gods and goddesses. Druidism is a bit more iffy, due to its usually very solid foundation in Celtic culture; but there are variations of Druidism that aim towards other cultures. Eclectic Pagans are similar in that regard; the friend I mentioned above is a very eclectic pagan.
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